those are famous last words of a naive young man. If he is old enough to get a hangover, let's see how much he loves those surgery confectioneries the next day.

I was actually talking about White Chocolate Frapuccinos and Coconut Milk Mocha Macchiato. I'm still not gay enough for Cosmopolitans and Sex on the Beach's.

Logged

"May the Lord our God remember in His kingdom all Holy Catholic Apostolic Church, which heralds the Word of Truth and fearlessly offers and distributes the Holy Oblation despite human deficiencies and persecutions moved by the powers of this world, in all time and unto the ages of ages."

those are famous last words of a naive young man. If he is old enough to get a hangover, let's see how much he loves those surgery confectioneries the next day.

I was actually talking about White Chocolate Frapuccinos and Coconut Milk Mocha Macchiato. I'm still not gay enough for Cosmopolitans and Sex on the Beach's.

That's disappointing. I was hoping for a Greek Tragedy report based on a mans hubris and unyielding optimism the next morning.

I do admit to sneaking a frapuccino one or twice a year when nobody is looking and it's really hot out, and I have a 24 hour shift though. And that's all I have to say about that.

I'll admit to drinking a Cosmo at home, but in a rocks glass, because I'm a man, dammit.

I will admit to sneaking a cosmo once or twice a year, when nobody is looking, and it's really hot out, and I have to drive on one of my 24 hour hr ambulance shifts. And that's all I have to say about that.

those are famous last words of a naive young man. If he is old enough to get a hangover, let's see how much he loves those surgery confectioneries the next day.

I was actually talking about White Chocolate Frapuccinos and Coconut Milk Mocha Macchiato. I'm still not gay enough for Cosmopolitans and Sex on the Beach's.

That's disappointing. I was hoping for a Greek Tragedy report based on a mans hubris and unyielding optimism the next morning.

I do admit to sneaking a frapuccino one or twice a year when nobody is looking and it's really hot out, and I have a 24 hour shift though. And that's all I have to say about that.

I'll admit to drinking a Cosmo at home, but in a rocks glass, because I'm a man, dammit.

I will admit to sneaking a cosmo once or twice a year, when nobody is looking, and it's really hot out, and I have to drive on one of my 24 hour hr ambulance shifts. And that's all I have to say about that.

No shame, even if you drink it up.

Logged

Happy shall he be, that shall take and dash thy little ones against the rock. Alleluia.

those are famous last words of a naive young man. If he is old enough to get a hangover, let's see how much he loves those surgery confectioneries the next day.

I was actually talking about White Chocolate Frapuccinos and Coconut Milk Mocha Macchiato. I'm still not gay enough for Cosmopolitans and Sex on the Beach's.

That's disappointing. I was hoping for a Greek Tragedy report based on a mans hubris and unyielding optimism the next morning.

I do admit to sneaking a frapuccino one or twice a year when nobody is looking and it's really hot out, and I have a 24 hour shift though. And that's all I have to say about that.

I'll admit to drinking a Cosmo at home, but in a rocks glass, because I'm a man, dammit.

I will admit to sneaking a cosmo once or twice a year, when nobody is looking, and it's really hot out, and I have to drive on one of my 24 hour hr ambulance shifts. And that's all I have to say about that.

Because You do not think as high of yourself as I do. I am capable of things only geniuses can pull of and I dont hide it

What are you on about here bro?

trolljumpingtheshark.jpg

You will see

Oh goody, spectacle.

I laugh every time I see this--partly because of the normal reaction of smiling when you see another human smiling or having fun, but also partly because I know this gif makes certain people in the manosphere lose their minds when they see it.

Does it really look like a person having fun? I don't see any actual joy on that face, nor does it look like a face that's used to joy. I see just spite and good genes. Not to say this is unusual today -- it's the common idea of enjoying oneself for young folks -- petty sarcasm and self-indulgence.

Logged

"Love ... is an abyss of illumination, a mountain of fire ... . It is the condition of angels, the progress of eternity" (Climacus).

Quote from: Seekingtrue

Yes we who are far from sainthood we can recognize a living saint and I'm talking from personal experience.Yes they are gentle soo gentle it can not be described it is like gentleness and humility in one and also they have this light this energy it's beyond words...and when you are near them you feel ecstatic and very happy

Does it really look like a person having fun? I don't see any actual joy on that face, nor does it look like a face that's used to joy. I see just spite and good genes. Not to say this is unusual today -- it's the common idea of enjoying oneself for young folks -- petty sarcasm and self-indulgence.

Now every time I see the gif, I will not only think of the Sargon of Akkad's of the world, but you also. Thank you for enriching my life!

"Love ... is an abyss of illumination, a mountain of fire ... . It is the condition of angels, the progress of eternity" (Climacus).

Quote from: Seekingtrue

Yes we who are far from sainthood we can recognize a living saint and I'm talking from personal experience.Yes they are gentle soo gentle it can not be described it is like gentleness and humility in one and also they have this light this energy it's beyond words...and when you are near them you feel ecstatic and very happy

Because You do not think as high of yourself as I do. I am capable of things only geniuses can pull of and I dont hide it

What are you on about here bro?

trolljumpingtheshark.jpg

You will see

Oh goody, spectacle.

I laugh every time I see this--partly because of the normal reaction of smiling when you see another human smiling or having fun, but also partly because I know this gif makes certain people in the manosphere lose their minds when they see it.

Mor Ephrem is a nice guy. Just say sorry and it will all be ok. Say I had things that were inside troubling me but I didn't know how to express appropriately. I will not behave that way again but I am seeking help.

Mor Ephrem is a nice guy. Just say sorry and it will all be ok. Say I had things that were inside troubling me but I didn't know how to express appropriately. I will not behave that way again but I am seeking help.

These are so long...I'm almost tempted to pay Sr Vassa $80/hr to read them to me.

!

Logged

"Love ... is an abyss of illumination, a mountain of fire ... . It is the condition of angels, the progress of eternity" (Climacus).

Quote from: Seekingtrue

Yes we who are far from sainthood we can recognize a living saint and I'm talking from personal experience.Yes they are gentle soo gentle it can not be described it is like gentleness and humility in one and also they have this light this energy it's beyond words...and when you are near them you feel ecstatic and very happy

I'm with the camp of 13 million Americans that believe politicians are, or are controlled by, Reptilians. I think only monks can solve this problem. It doesn't seem right that they prefer to ignore it.

Oh I know a little about this from working in tech. Always assumed she was some humdrum scholar; in the GIF she seems quite outgoing. One of your links says she's Armenian, and that's nice.

Logged

"Love ... is an abyss of illumination, a mountain of fire ... . It is the condition of angels, the progress of eternity" (Climacus).

Quote from: Seekingtrue

Yes we who are far from sainthood we can recognize a living saint and I'm talking from personal experience.Yes they are gentle soo gentle it can not be described it is like gentleness and humility in one and also they have this light this energy it's beyond words...and when you are near them you feel ecstatic and very happy

These are so long...I'm almost tempted to pay Sr Vassa $80/hr to read them to me.

I'll sum it up for $2: she's a feminist who made youtube vids on video games and gives lectures about feminism and SJW-type stuffs, and that made some people mad. Some see her as being greedy and manipulative with her fund-raising*, and that made some people mad. She presents herself as an academic but there seem to be errors/manipulations with numerous videos, and that made some people mad. Some people think she is an attention-seeker and lies about abusive treatment she has received, which made some people mad. She also wears makeup and dresses nicely and some people can't fathom that a feminist would be against objectification but still be ok using lipstick or wearing something other than baggy clothes, so those people got mad.

*She apparently charges five figures or more as a speaking fee--though sometimes she cuts places a break, like this college, which she only charged $5000; apparently Sister Vassa is giving guidance for comparative pennies

These are so long...I'm almost tempted to pay Sr Vassa $80/hr to read them to me.

I'll sum it up for $2: she's a feminist who made youtube vids on video games and gives lectures about feminism and SJW-type stuffs, and that made some people mad. Some see her as being greedy and manipulative with her fund-raising*, and that made some people mad. She presents herself as an academic but there seem to be errors/manipulations with numerous videos, and that made some people mad. Some people think she is an attention-seeker and lies about abusive treatment she has received, which made some people mad. She also wears makeup and dresses nicely and some people can't fathom that a feminist would be against objectification but still be ok using lipstick or wearing something other than baggy clothes, so those people got mad.

*She apparently charges five figures or more as a speaking fee--though sometimes she cuts places a break, like this college, which she only charged $5000; apparently Sister Vassa is giving guidance for comparative pennies

I like her already. If she's angered a bunch of gamer trolls (Is there a weaker creature on Earth? I'm including butterflies.) she must be doing something right!

I'm with the camp of 13 million Americans that believe politicians are, or are controlled by, Reptilians. I think only monks can solve this problem. It doesn't seem right that they prefer to ignore it.

Considering "feminist" is about as descriptive as "post-modernist" nowadays, it would be mighty hard to say. I would assume if one is in Dr. Butler's feminist denomination and line of work, the answer would be yes. If one is of the Aaron Spelling, lechery-is-the-new-equality school, then the answer would be no.

Logged

"Love ... is an abyss of illumination, a mountain of fire ... . It is the condition of angels, the progress of eternity" (Climacus).

Quote from: Seekingtrue

Yes we who are far from sainthood we can recognize a living saint and I'm talking from personal experience.Yes they are gentle soo gentle it can not be described it is like gentleness and humility in one and also they have this light this energy it's beyond words...and when you are near them you feel ecstatic and very happy

Mor Ephrem is a nice guy. Just say sorry and it will all be ok. Say I had things that were inside troubling me but I didn't know how to express appropriately. I will not behave that way again but I am seeking help.

I'm with the camp of 13 million Americans that believe politicians are, or are controlled by, Reptilians. I think only monks can solve this problem. It doesn't seem right that they prefer to ignore it.

I'm with the camp of 13 million Americans that believe politicians are, or are controlled by, Reptilians. I think only monks can solve this problem. It doesn't seem right that they prefer to ignore it.

Is there any other reason for becoming a Christian than the belief that it is true? Why have all of you decided to be Christians? This is a well meaning question that I am interested to understand

This would seem to be a rather compelling reason to me. If I didn't think it was true, I wouldn't believe it. I don't believe things just because they make me happy or scratch a philosophical itch. I believe them because I think they are true regardless of how uncomfortable the ramifications might be.

I'm a Christian because I've studied a lot about Christ and the early Church and I don't know what to do with all that testimony if it isn't true. It seems like an awful lot of first or second hand testimony that you just have to pretend that they are all hallucinating. I might not like some of it, but I can't discard it purely because I don't like it.

But even if you believe it true, say that you would find that truth to be awful even if it were true, if so, why align yourself with it instead of opposing it and say "Truth is ugly!"? In what way is there benefit in aligning one self with the truth other than the fact that it is true, since it might be ugly?

I suppose I could make up a fairy tale world to believe in where nothing bad happens and no one ever dies, but what is the point in believing in that other than to make myself feel better?

The truth is frightening. It is a yawning chasm with no bottom in sight. The ramifications are scary. That is the way the world and the universe are. Almost 100% of this universe is completely hostile to life. It is but a sliver of a percentage that can sustain life. That is truth. We are a fallen, defective species. That is truth. It is also truth that the Supreme Being also came to redeem this species and that while many will not accept that redemption, some will, and through that redemption, will be divinized and raised to a plane far beyond our current comprehension. That road to redemption is a rocky one, full of perils and struggle and pain. This is reality, this is truth. I prefer to face it head on than retreat to a fictional setting where everyone lives happily ever after. The good news is that despite all this horror, the Supreme Being that came to redeem us, is capable and willing to guide us through all these perils and see us through to the other side.

And as you know, repentance is internal and yet dependant on another person; God.

More than just that. Repentance is not internal.

Sin (generally speaking) affects both the sinner and the one who was harmed by the sin (knowingly or unknowingly), and the effect is manifested on the sinner in multiple ways: on their own person, on their relationship with God, and on their relationship with others.

So repentance (the seeking of forgiveness and turnaround of life away from the way of sin) cannot be purely internal (nor is it purely external) - it must manifest itself in the same way in which the sin did: rebuilding the relationship with the one harmed, and reforming the sinner's attitude and relationship to the one harmed, to themselves, and to the Lord.

This is one of the reasons why the conditional forgiveness of the Lord's prayer is so important ("forgive us our trespasses/debts, as we forgive those who trespass against us / have debts to us") - God offers His forgiveness freely, but we ask Him to make it conditional on our forgiveness of others in order to teach us (and propel us) to offer forgiveness freely to others in imitation of Him.

Repentance, then, is both complicated and simple, both easy and difficult. Our fallibility as humans, though, is why it is always possible. I'm not sure how you can consistently take the words of the scripture to their most absurd possible personal interpretation when the examples provided demonstrate the opposite perspective to your own: the Thief on the Cross (deserving of death), Peter (denying the Lord even after seeing his power manifest), Paul (blasphemer and persecutor, in his own words), the woman who anointed Jesus's feet, Zaccheus & Matthew (tax collectors), etc. all were great sinners in one way or another, but were forgiven - some even at the last possible moment. Forgiveness from the Lord is always possible provided that you're able to seek it.

I looked at the girl in the gif and thought, "She has to be Oriental Orthodox" and bang, she's of Armenian descent. Something tells me she's not practicing though.

You could tell her faith by looking at her? That's some neat radar.

I sensed it in the Force, I guess. I said to myself, "If she had a veil on, and did 'that thing' with it, Alpha60 would go into anaphylactic shock".

Actually, she's not my type. She has a worldly appearance to her; I spent too much time in wordliness and find myself more attracted to women who convey a sense of love, piety and innocence. On this forum, for example, Alxandra comes to mind, and she was blessed to find a wonderful Orthodox husband via OCNet, which makes me extremely happy.

There are a lot of women who society acclaims for their beauty, but I just don't see it myself, or, in some cases, they gain or lose beauty as a result of spiritual experience.

Among celebrities, for example, I don't really get Norma Jean, except in her final completed film, the Prince and the Showgirl, where I find myself pitying her and the suffering she was experiencing, which nonetheless makes me hope that before her tragic death, she was drawing closer to God. Grace Kelly, on the other hand, had dignity and equipoise, and Prince Ranier III was blessed to have her as his consort. Haley Mills films made as an adult (between roughly 1964 and 1971, starting with The Family Way, continuing with The Trouble With Angels, That Darn Cat!, The Moonspinners, and culminating in a brilliant adaptation of Agatha Christie's nightmarish murder novel Endless Night) were brilliant, her acting was superb, and her on screen personality was charming.

But ultimately we don't really know anything about these women without meeting them in person, face to face, and I suspect in the case of most high profile personalities, whether it is this feminist blogger on YouTube or a Hollywood actress, there is a risk we might encounter a disagreeable vanity when encountering them on a personal level.

Logged

"It is logical that the actions of the human race over time will lead to its destruction. I, Alpha 60, am merely the agent of this destruction."

- The computer Alpha 60, from Alphaville (1964) by Jean Luc Godard, the obvious inspiration for HAL-9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

This signature is not intended to offend any user, nor the relatives of Discovery 1 deputy commander Dr. Frank Poole, and crew members Dr. Victor Kaminsky, Dr. Jack Kimball, and Dr. Charles Hunter.

Mor Ephrem is a nice guy. Just say sorry and it will all be ok. Say I had things that were inside troubling me but I didn't know how to express appropriately. I will not behave that way again but I am seeking help.

I'm with the camp of 13 million Americans that believe politicians are, or are controlled by, Reptilians. I think only monks can solve this problem. It doesn't seem right that they prefer to ignore it.

As I said in my post, she's married. I never flirt with, check out, or interact with women I know to be married in a manner that might be misinterpreted. She married someone she met on OCNet, in fact, which I think is a superb credit to this forum, that we provided a place for a meeting of souls and the blossoming of a romance between two Orthodox young people.

Logged

"It is logical that the actions of the human race over time will lead to its destruction. I, Alpha 60, am merely the agent of this destruction."

- The computer Alpha 60, from Alphaville (1964) by Jean Luc Godard, the obvious inspiration for HAL-9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

This signature is not intended to offend any user, nor the relatives of Discovery 1 deputy commander Dr. Frank Poole, and crew members Dr. Victor Kaminsky, Dr. Jack Kimball, and Dr. Charles Hunter.

Indeed; for years I was driven chiefly by the avaricious pursuit of material acquisitions. The goal of life was to live more luxuriously. I was nominally a Christian, but due to weak catechesis at the UMC, I was basically Epicurean in outlook and temperment.

Thus, the last thing I would want in a woman would be someone who would tempt me into returning to an epicurean lifestyle driven by pleasure and egoism. This is certainly not a risk with my most likely amour to the extent she and I spiritually matured together.

Logged

"It is logical that the actions of the human race over time will lead to its destruction. I, Alpha 60, am merely the agent of this destruction."

- The computer Alpha 60, from Alphaville (1964) by Jean Luc Godard, the obvious inspiration for HAL-9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

This signature is not intended to offend any user, nor the relatives of Discovery 1 deputy commander Dr. Frank Poole, and crew members Dr. Victor Kaminsky, Dr. Jack Kimball, and Dr. Charles Hunter.

"Love ... is an abyss of illumination, a mountain of fire ... . It is the condition of angels, the progress of eternity" (Climacus).

Quote from: Seekingtrue

Yes we who are far from sainthood we can recognize a living saint and I'm talking from personal experience.Yes they are gentle soo gentle it can not be described it is like gentleness and humility in one and also they have this light this energy it's beyond words...and when you are near them you feel ecstatic and very happy

I have one, but our relationship is not entirely set in stone or stable, its a bit complicated, hence, if I do get married, unless I met someone else, and frankly I'm not looking, she would most likely be my bride. I am seriously considering celibacy.

Logged

"It is logical that the actions of the human race over time will lead to its destruction. I, Alpha 60, am merely the agent of this destruction."

- The computer Alpha 60, from Alphaville (1964) by Jean Luc Godard, the obvious inspiration for HAL-9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

This signature is not intended to offend any user, nor the relatives of Discovery 1 deputy commander Dr. Frank Poole, and crew members Dr. Victor Kaminsky, Dr. Jack Kimball, and Dr. Charles Hunter.

Indeed; for years I was driven chiefly by the avaricious pursuit of material acquisitions. The goal of life was to live more luxuriously. I was nominally a Christian, but due to weak catechesis at the UMC, I was basically Epicurean in outlook and temperment.

Thus, the last thing I would want in a woman would be someone who would tempt me into returning to an epicurean lifestyle driven by pleasure and egoism. This is certainly not a risk with my most likely amour to the extent she and I spiritually matured together.

A funny quirk of history, the way many use the word "Epicurean," in that the philosophy of Epicurus was downright ascetic and hard compared to the average American lifestyle. It'd be like if americans used the word "Stoic" to describe overly-emotional people who were always complaining about how difficult their life was.

Indeed; for years I was driven chiefly by the avaricious pursuit of material acquisitions. The goal of life was to live more luxuriously. I was nominally a Christian, but due to weak catechesis at the UMC, I was basically Epicurean in outlook and temperment.

Thus, the last thing I would want in a woman would be someone who would tempt me into returning to an epicurean lifestyle driven by pleasure and egoism. This is certainly not a risk with my most likely amour to the extent she and I spiritually matured together.

I guess you didn't notice that you wrote "I spent too much time in WORDLINESS"...

Mor Ephrem is a nice guy. Just say sorry and it will all be ok. Say I had things that were inside troubling me but I didn't know how to express appropriately. I will not behave that way again but I am seeking help.

Indeed; for years I was driven chiefly by the avaricious pursuit of material acquisitions. The goal of life was to live more luxuriously. I was nominally a Christian, but due to weak catechesis at the UMC, I was basically Epicurean in outlook and temperment.

Thus, the last thing I would want in a woman would be someone who would tempt me into returning to an epicurean lifestyle driven by pleasure and egoism. This is certainly not a risk with my most likely amour to the extent she and I spiritually matured together.

I guess you didn't notice that you wrote "I spent too much time in WORDLINESS"...

I felt compelled to confess the nature of my former corrupted state. There are a few different forms of wordliness; I did not, for example, engage in sexual promiscuity, but was instead obsessed with luxury and posessions. Now, I mainly like to joke about these; much of what I had I have no longer, and what I do have I try to use in a manner that benefits other people.

Logged

"It is logical that the actions of the human race over time will lead to its destruction. I, Alpha 60, am merely the agent of this destruction."

- The computer Alpha 60, from Alphaville (1964) by Jean Luc Godard, the obvious inspiration for HAL-9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

This signature is not intended to offend any user, nor the relatives of Discovery 1 deputy commander Dr. Frank Poole, and crew members Dr. Victor Kaminsky, Dr. Jack Kimball, and Dr. Charles Hunter.

Indeed; for years I was driven chiefly by the avaricious pursuit of material acquisitions. The goal of life was to live more luxuriously. I was nominally a Christian, but due to weak catechesis at the UMC, I was basically Epicurean in outlook and temperment.

Thus, the last thing I would want in a woman would be someone who would tempt me into returning to an epicurean lifestyle driven by pleasure and egoism. This is certainly not a risk with my most likely amour to the extent she and I spiritually matured together.

A funny quirk of history, the way many use the word "Epicurean," in that the philosophy of Epicurus was downright ascetic and hard compared to the average American lifestyle. It'd be like if americans used the word "Stoic" to describe overly-emotional people who were always complaining about how difficult their life was.

No, but keep passing around pop deceits. It makes you cool.

Logged

"Love ... is an abyss of illumination, a mountain of fire ... . It is the condition of angels, the progress of eternity" (Climacus).

Quote from: Seekingtrue

Yes we who are far from sainthood we can recognize a living saint and I'm talking from personal experience.Yes they are gentle soo gentle it can not be described it is like gentleness and humility in one and also they have this light this energy it's beyond words...and when you are near them you feel ecstatic and very happy